Just An Ordinary Girl
by xlovetreehillx
Summary: Haley James has always been ordinary. There’s nothing special about her. She’s ignored a lot at school and even at home. What happens when her world is turned upside down by a mysterious blue eyed jock named Nathan Scott. Naley. More summary inside.
1. Ordinary Day

A/N: so, this is my first story. I usually am on here lurking through the boards and I have never had time to write a story. But now, I do. School is coming to an end soon and what better of a way to spend my summer writing a fanfic for all of you. I really hope you guys like this story. It's AU. And I REALLY need a beta. So someone please help me find one. Thanks everyone! My inspiration for this chapter was 'my hero' by Paramore it's a cover they did of the Foo Fighters. Everyone should check it out.

Disclaimer: I am deeply sorry and sad to say I do not own the right to one tree hill, the rights to any characters except Jenna, and especially sad to inform you that Nathan Scott is not mine. Although I would love for him to be!

Summary: Haley James has always been ordinary. There's nothing special about her. She's ignored a lot at school and even at home. What happens when her world is turned upside down by a mysterious blue eyed jock named Nathan Scott. But when she falls for him, does she really know about Nathan Scott and his player ways, and most importantly about his past. Naley, Brucas and slight Jeyton.

--x--

" _To be great is to be misunderstood." - Ralph Waldo Emerson_

--x--

Haley Ann James.

That's me. It's simple really. Well my life is, I mean. I am an ordinary girl, and when I say ordinary I mean it.

You ever feel like you're a nobody or there's absolutely nothing special about you? Well that's how I feel. I'm not that smart, pretty, popular, athletic, or even remotely good at anything. I mean I don't really try at school but that's not the point, the "point" is that I have like a 3.3 GPA. Which isn't bad, but it's not that good anyway. And there's like 500 smarter girls then me.

I'm really self conscious on top of that too. I'm not popular and I personally think I dress really well, but let's just say, I leave a lot to the imagination. Meaning I don't dress like some girls I know. And I don't feel like I am pretty, well at least I don't get told often that I am. I am sort of on the short side standing at 5'2 and have long blonde wavy hair. And I am just ordinary looking.

Ordinary, that's the best way to describe me. I know it seems like I don't mind being just ordinary, but let me tell you I do. On the inside I'm just dying for someone to see my greatness. Because let's face it everyone has something they have to offer the world. It's just that I don't feel like I do. I feel like no one really gets me or even knows me.

Most people don't know that I can sing. Or that my favorite thing to do in the summer is walk along the pier with my dog Snoopy. Or that I Hate fries with ketchup and like my meat extra crispy. I hate creepy clowns and the color pink is horrific. And oh my god, the worst song ever is your beautiful by James Blunt. Like seriously id rather crawl into a hole and die than listen to that song one more time. I also love deep conversations and I

like low key things. I'm not much of a partier and I definitely don't do drugs and I don't really drink.

Nah, I'll leave that up to my sister, Jenna James.

Did I forget to mention her? Oh well, it's not like I did that on purpose. Ok so I'm guilty, maybe I did. It's not that I don't love her, well because I do. It's just that she's everything I am not. She's the most popular girl in school. She's captain of the cheerleading squad and debate team, president of her senior class and just got accepted to Princeton. Yes, an ivy league school. She also has a perfect 4.0 gpa with perfect attendance at school, I swear that girl is never sick, even when she's hung over she still manages to go to school and get all a's. So you may be wondering how she manages to do all this and party 24/7. Well that's a good question, and one that I can't fully answer at this moment. I guess she's just able to multitask and is gifted with the smarts in the family. I mean she studies for 5 minutes and gets an A on a test while I have to study two hours to get a B on a test. And she's really talented and well rounded. I mean she has so much to offer the world and is pretty, fun, smart, outgoing and real. And no I don't mean real as in she hasn't had plastic surgery, but real as in genuine. She stands at about 5'7 with medium length straight, shiny, and silky chestnut brown hair. She has a perfect body and can pull of anything she wears. She shines from across the room, you'd have to be blind not to notice her. She's also my parents dream child.

My parents tend to block me out on life, which is fine I guess, well at least on the outside. On the inside I hate it. They don't even notice me. I almost feel like Cinderella, except the fact that I don't have to do all of those chores or anything. Oh and yeah I have no step sisters. Thank God. I can't deal with more than one perfect sister. I already have enough competition. But I guess it's always been like this. My parents always caring for my older sister Jenna. While they would go to her cheer competitions and support her, I was at home age 11 making dinner for myself. When they were there for her debates and student council meetings, I was at home in my room just sitting staring at the computer. When I decided I wanted to try and perform for the first time my mom told me "why do you want to sing anyway, you don't even have that good of a voice." And there went my dreams. It was back to the old late night singing, locked in my room, and alone from now on.

On my sixteenth birthday my parents went with my sister to go look at colleges while I sat at home. I mean I know it sounds like my sister is kind of a horrible person, but she's not. It isn't her fault my parents chose to ignore me. Sometimes I wish they had never had me. But don't tell anyone that. Anyway, Jenna treats me okay, but she doesn't go out of her way for me, like I do for her. Did I forget to mention that on my 16th birthday, I was only alone for like 5 hours. Finally my best friends came to rescue me from my boring and depressing life. Yes, I do have best friends, I just haven't mentioned them yet, because I've been rambling too much. I tend to do that a lot, it helps me express myself more. Ok back to my friends. Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer and Brooke Penelope Davis. My two heroes in life. They complete me and have done more for me than anyone I have ever met. Besides the couple of moments I love my sister, they are the only two I have ever loved.

Peyton and Brooke are juniors just like me. I don't think I mentioned that I am a junior yet because I have been to busy rambling. But I am. Peyton and I are seventeen and Brooke is turning 17 in a couple of months. Oh, and Jenna is eighteen and headed for college in about 4 months, 28 days and 3 hours. Not that I'm counting or anything. But seriously, Brooke and Peyton are my saving grace. There the one thing that's keeping me alright.

Peyton is extremely talented. She can draw like frickin Picasso. She is kind of dark, edgy, moody, kind of has that rocker chick vibe going on and a complete mystery. She and I share our love for music. That's one major thing we have in common, she wants to produce and record artists and get them famous, and I want to sing. She just doesn't know that yet. I guess I'm scared to share my voice with the world because I don't want people to reject what I have to offer. And also because my parents claim to think I have a horrible voice, which kind of scares me out of my dreams. But Peyton and I burn cd's for each other all the time. Peyton is the one who always tell me I have to stick up for myself to my family, I just can't seem to do it.

Brooke and I also have one thing in common too. And that would be fashion. Yes, I Haley James happen to be extremely into fashion. Just because I don't dress like some people, doesn't mean I don't like fashion. In my opinion, the way you dress can tell a story. Like if your wearing jeans and a tee-shirt it says that you don't really care how you looked that day, and its just an ordinary day and nothing special. If you usually are wearing high fashion dark jeans and a band tee-shirt it says that you are into music and aren't really what you seem. Meaning you don't dress in all those 'emo' clothes to prove you love music, but when you find the right band outfits you'll wear them. I like to express my moods, thoughts and ideas through what I wear. And so does Brooke. The only difference is that Brooke can actually design clothes when I just wear what I want to express myself. Brooke is also a cheerleader, but she's not a bitch like most of them are. She's nice to everyone, and she's actually really popular. She attends parties a lot too. But Brooke has one thing that no one else has. And that's the most genuine, nicest, and kindest heart I have ever seen. She has such a big heat, she just doesn't show it. I know one day when she confesses to Lucas that she loves him, he'll grab onto her heart and never let go just because of how great it really is.

Lucas Roe is just a friend of mine. I mean he's a nice guy and everything and we talk but I'm not that close with him. I mean I like him and he's great for Brooke but were not like best friends or anything. He and Brooke have this whole flirty thing going on. They also are friends with benefits at the moment, and I know it's killing Brooke not to be exclusive with him. She's just too scared to tell him yet. Peyton and I try to convince her all the time to tell him but she just won't listen to us.

Currently Peyton and I have no love life. There's absolutely no one in this town that I would ever go out with, primarily because none of the boys here get me, along with everyone else who doesn't get me for that matter. Sometimes I feel like I hide myself from everyone, even Peyton and Brooke. They don't even know about my singing or that I am absolutely dying to be saved.

Yes, if I could describe what I want more than anything in this life, than it would be to be saved. I want someone to take me away from this world I feel that I don't belong in. This world where barely anyone cares for me and where I only can say I have two people I care about. I want someone to show me what it's really like to be happy and to be free. To not care what others think about you, someone to show me that I can stand up for myself. Someone to show me that I am great, and that I have something to offer to this world. That I am not just unwanted and left alone every night. I want someone to love and I want to feel like I'm alive with them. But most importantly, I want them to love me back, to love me for me. Me, Haley Ann James. I want them to love the fact that I hate clowns and fries with ketchup. And that Your Beautiful is the worst song ever. I want them to love everything about me, and I want to love everything about them. I want them to save me, and more importantly I want to save them.

I want just the person who would change my life and turn it upside down. He would love that I walk Snoopy on the pier and that I like my meat extra crispy. He would hate the song your beautiful too. He would love my voice and tell me that I really did have something to offer to the world. He would love me and my ordinary self and I would love him too. He was going to save me and I would save him. Save him from what, I don't know. But we were going to save each other, even with a few road bumps in our way.

I'm rambling again, I just can't help it. But the point was that he was going to do the one thing I want more than anything. He was going to save me.

The only problem was that I had no idea who he was.

Enter Nathan Scott. The person who was going to save me.

I just didn't know him…

Yet, that is.


	2. High Hopes in Velvet Ropes

Author's Note: Hey, I'm so sorry for the long awaited time. I am at my last week of school and have been studying for finals and doing crammed in projects or assignments from my teachers. But the good news is that after this week, it will be the summer, which means serious updates for all of you. Thanks to all of you who reviewed I really appreciate it. This is my first story so I need all the nice comments that I can get. Again, I'm sorry for the wait. But here it is. It's not my best work but it's something, right? I've been reading nineteen minutes by Jodi Picoult and that's part of my inspiration for this story. She's my favorite author so I would check her books out if I were you. Also, a great band I just got is the cab. They are alternative and they inspired this chapter too. Check them out if your into that type of music, like me. Sorry for all the ranting, I'll let you read now. And also please help me find a BETA! I NEED ONE ASAP!

Disclaimer: I am deeply sorry and sad to say I do not own the right to one tree hill, the rights to any characters except Jenna, and especially sad to inform you that Nathan Scott is not mine. Although I would love for him to be!

Summary: Haley James has always been ordinary. There's nothing special about her. She's ignored a lot at school and even at home. What happens when her world is turned upside down by a mysterious blue eyed jock named Nathan Scott. But when she falls for him, does she really know about Nathan Scott and his player ways, and most importantly about his past. Naley, Brucas and slight Jeyton.

--X--

"Within everyday ordinary people, if you look closely, you can find some extraordinary things." - Joseph Badaracco

--X--

"HALEY!" yelled my mom from downstairs. I swear her voice is so annoying she sounds like a rat. And besides that fact, I think you can hear her from china. Does she always have to call me when she wants something. The only reason she's asking for me is probably because she wants me to do her a favor. And ugh, what am I her freaking slave? And you know she never…

"HALEY ANN!" exclaimed my mother. That doesn't sound good. I better see what the devil wants now.

"Yeah. Mom."

"Haley, there you are. I swear your as slow as a turtle. No wonder why your grades suck. Anyway, I need you to go to the gas station and get the flat tire fixed on my car. I don't have time to do it. I am late to your sister's debate meet and I need to get there soon, so I'm taking your car. And you need to get groceries for this week. You know, these things don't just get done by themselves. Have fun tonight, your dad and I will be out. Your sister will be back at around 8:30 make sure she's okay. We don't want our perfect daughter out and partying, and ruining her life. Like you do. Don't let your friends what was it, Priscilla and Bethany, corrupt our perfect angel. They've already done a number on you."

Oh if only she knew what Jenna was really doing. Hah! No partying my ass. Jenna James is the definition of a party girl. She's lucky I cover for her.

"But Mom. I need my car. I have plans with Peyton and Brooke. Yes, that's there names. Not Priscilla and Bethany. And how am I supposed to drive on a flat? what If I get in a car crash. And for the 50th time, I don't party mom, how many times do I have to tell you that. And Peyton and Brooke are great people."

"Oh please, they are terrible influences… And don't worry, you'll be fine. Just make sure to get the car to the station in one piece. Okay, I'll be home late, bye." My mom said, and with that she went out the front door and with my car, she left.

That's just effin great. Now im stuck with no car, and one with a flat tire. Well, I guess im off to the gas station to fill this stupid tire with air. Let's hope I don't crash the car and die.

But even if I did, I wonder if anyone would care.

--X--

Mobile.

That's exactly where I am. Sitting in this car that feels like the tire just might burst. I can't believe I made it here and not one scratch. Driving this car 3 miles to the gas station felt like a whole life time when the car tire has not one ounce of air. I don't understand why it takes these people so long to fill up a tire with some air. It's been what? Like 7 minutes and counting already.

The air outside is getting chilly. The sky has darkened, and the clouds are slightly gray. It seems as if it might rain. I looked over to the right and saw a little girl playing carelessly with a bright red balloon. I remember what it was like to be that age. Life was simple, carefree, and completely unpredictable. Everything you did was unexplainable and you never had anyone else's weight to carry on your shoulders. I wish I could go back to that life I used to live. Where problems didn't exist, eating ice cream didn't make you fat, and the difference between using a red crayon or blue crayon on your new painting in class, was all that mattered. Everything was so simple back then. Life was never really what it seemed until I grew up. I never realized what the world was really like until my 14th birthday, when my parents forgot all about it.

I spent the day miserable at school and got my first real bad grade. I got a D on an English quiz. I came home late, to find my parents note on the fridge, it read:

Haley,

We went out with Jenna to celebrate her last cheer competition. We will be back by 8. Make yourself some dinner and enjoy. Hope you had a good day at school,

Mom and Dad.

There was no I love you or even a happy birthday wish on the note. That's the day everything changed. The day where life wasn't really what it seemed. That I realized even the happiest of people are never truly happy, the smartest of people are never that smart in real life, and the saddest of people, well they are actually truly sad. They don't put up a front and act like someone they're not. They are real and act like how most other people feel. They don't hide they're feelings and they aren't ashamed of themselves. You see, they tell the truth. In a world full of all different kinds of people, the truth lies behind the miserable ones.

I wish I could be like that. I wish I could show the world that I'm not happy and that everything is not okay. But im too scared of what others will say. The truth is, I don't want other people to talk about me. I hate being judged, and I care too much. But then again, who doesn't.

This little short blonde haired girl was doing something extremely strange. While her mom was filling up the gas tank, she stood there next to her, and it seemed as if she were debating about letting the balloon go. It looked as though she wanted it to fly away, into the cold and miserable sky. But she seemed scared. I think she hesitated to let the balloon go, because she was worried about where it would go. She feared the fact that this red balloon, may not be okay in the sky. That the sky was a big place and that a little red balloon would not be okay by itself. Maybe it needed her, or maybe she needed it because it reassured her that someone or something cared about her.

Then the worst of things happened. Her mother turned to her, grabbed the string out of her daughter's hand , took the balloon away, and let it go.

I looked up and saw the balloon flying in the dark grey sky.

I looked down again and saw the saddened expression on this little girls face. She was staring at the black pavement with saddened eyes. The girl then looked up and saw me. I turned around startled at this girl's staring. I wanted to see if there was something more fascinating behind me. But I turned, and there was nothing. My eyes reached back down to this little girls and for the first time that I saw her I noticed something. That this little girl was not as happy as she seemed. This girl reminded me of someone I knew. The moment I stared into her eyes I realized who I was staring at.

I was staring at me.

--X--

Hmm… which to choose. Snickers or Twix.

Snickers or Twix?

I am currently having a debate with myself over which candy bar to choose. I am in the gas station's run down mini mart. Because after that girl left, I looked down at my watch and realized it was 3:08. Meaning I had been here for about 14 minutes now. And on top of that, my stomach made an extremely funny noise. So when a rain drop hit my face, I had absolutely no reason to be standing out there. So I went for the smart option and went inside. So now im back to my dilemma, Snickers or Twix? Snickers or Twix? I think I'll go with…, hey! Where'd that Twix bar go?

I looked up from the candy bar to find some guy walking the opposite direction, Twix in hand. Great, just great. I finally decide on a candy bar to have it be taken away. Hey, maybe I should get my candy bar back. Im tired of everyone walking all over me. I need to stand up for myself, and get what belongs to me. "HEY!" I shouted. The guy turned around and… Crap! He was extremely hot. I mean, like movie star, famous football player, pro wrestler, NBA god hot. Great Haley, you picked just the right time to stand up for yourself, I muttered to myself sarcastically.

"What?" He exclaimed. I said nothing. I just sat and stared at him in utter embarrassment.

"Uh sorry." I exclaimed. "I wasn't talking to you." Im such a bad liar.

"Well, your staring at me, and directed in my direction. Im almost one hundred percent sure that you were talking to me. So what do you want, a picture, an autograph?"

Huh. I feel as though I have entered the twilight zone. Who was this guy? I had never seen him in my life. Figures the hot guys have the attitude to go along with their perfect looks. "Um, no. Sorry, I don't even know who you are. I just wanted that Twix bar you have in your hand."

" I'm Nathan Scott. Star basketball player. How do you not know who I am? And more importantly, who are you? I think I would have remembered a face like yours had I seen it before."

That is what I call a cheesy pick up line. "I'm nobody , but can I please have my Twix bar back?"

"What, does this candy bar have your name embedded in it. No. And besides, what makes it yours?" "Nobody? What's your real name?" He replied with one of those dreamy smirks.

"Well I was right next to it when you grabbed it and I was simply deciding between Twix or snickers. I went to reach for the Twix and it was gone. So, all I am asking is if you can simply find another candy bar." I exclaimed. Simply avoiding his question about my name.

He sat there, looking pretty dumbfounded. This was taking to long and I had to meet Peyton and Brooke.

"Look, never mind. Sorry, I'll just get the snickers." I reached for the candy bar, grabbed it, and with a smirk to match his own, I walked right past him and said "Bye, Nathan Scott."

--X-- NATHAN'S POV.

Who was this girl?

More importantly how didn't she know me, Nathan Scott, captain of the tree hill ravens. Everyone knew me or at least I thought. What was her name? How old was she? Where did she go to school?

Oh my god, I sound like a whipped boy. I don't even know this girl's name and she already has me thinking about her. What just happened to me.

I mean she was absolutely beautiful, but not my usual type. I usually go for blonde cheerleaders that are tall and fake. But this girl was wearing simple blue jeans and a grey long sleeved tee shirt. And she still looked amazing. Her simple honey blonde hair in a side ponytail. I swear, I had never seen anything like her.

I walked to the front of the store and saw her about to reach into her wallet to pay for her snickers bar. I was such an ass. I should of just let her have the damn Twix bar. I walked up behind her and decided to do something I would never normally do.

"Excuse me sir, but I'll pay for her," I exclaimed to the cashier guy.

"No, im fine thank you I can pay for myself." She exclaimed.

"No really I got it." And with that, I gave the cashier money for both candy bars and walked away.

She sat there staring at me with a surprised look on her face. She looked sort of miserable. Like those damsel's in distress in those movies. I threw her the candy bar, and said "Besides. I didn't really want it all that much. And you still haven't told me your name." She looked down and realized that I had handed her the Twix bar. She sort of put one of those half smiles on her face and looked up at me.

"Thanks, I guess." She said and with that walked out of the store. I stood there for a second, trying to process what just happened. Then, I ran out, trying to catch up with her.

"So that's it. I mean really what's your name?" She didn't even respond.

"ok, number, age, anything?" I exclaimed. For some reason this girl captivated me.

"Yeah, I have all of the above. But none of them to give to you. Look, Nathan, I don't even know you. And you don't even know me. If you really want to know my name than I guess you'll just have to find me." She said.

Then she continued to say " And when I said I was nobody, maybe I really meant it." I don't know why she just told me that, and from the looks of it, she kind of regretted it too. But this girl seemed so sad, and all I wanted to do was comfort her.

"That's impossible." I exclaimed. "Bob Marley once said 'You have to be someone.' " "Trust me, I'll find out who you are, whether you want me to or not." And with that I walked away, and into my car.

--X--

What the hell just happened? I mean, he was so hot, cocky, and extremely mysterious. I can not believe what he just said to me. 'Bob Marley once said…' It kept replaying over and over in my head. What did he mean by that? And why did I even tell him I felt like nobody in the first place. I just met him, it's not really his business who I am or not. But it's really my fault for even telling him that information.

"HALEY!" I looked over and their was Brooke running over to me, I finally made it over to Peyton's house and she ran outside to see me since I Haven't seen her in like a week.

"Brookie cookie!" I exclaimed with just as much enthusiasm. Seriously, right now with everything going on in my life the only time I was really truly happy was when I was with them. Brooke jumped into my arms and we walked up the stairs of the Sawyer house and into Peyton's bedroom. Peyton was painting her nails a deep pink, and I could see the color next to her was called 'Pink-ing of you'. Yeah, that's defiantly what could be described of my feelings towards Nathan Scott.

"Earth to haley!" Peyton exclaimed. "What's up? You look like your caught up in something, are you alright?"

"Hey, yeah, I'm fine." I said with no feeling. I wasn't sure if I wanted to tell them about this Nathan guy or not. I mean it's not a big deal but then again I mean it's my best friends, and I should be able to tell them anything right?

"It's a guy!" Brooke exclaimed cheerfully.

Too late, she already noticed.

"Brooke, what the hell are you talking about?" Peyton exclaimed. "Haley!, she's thinking about a guy, I am our official boy expert and Haley's got that glazed over look that means she met someone attractive and can't take her mind off of him." Brooke told Peyton as if she knew exactly what I was thinking, which in some cases, she kind of did. Brooke continued ranting " who is he? what's his name? how old is he? Does he have blue or brown eyes? Does he like steak or hamburgers better? What size is his…"

"Whoa! Brooke, I don't even know him, we talked for like five minutes and half the time we spent arguing over a Twix bar. And besides, what makes you think I would tell you any of that information?!" I interrupted her rant with this.

"Haley come on, just tell me. At least give me his name! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE!" she said jumping on the bed. "Hey calm down Brooke." Peyton exclaimed. "Haley will tell us when she wants to. Or she will tell us if she ever wants to speak to us again." Peyton looked at me with a smile on her face.

Ok, so I give up. They are never going to leave me alone unless I tell him. "Okay you guys win and his name is Nathan Scott." Uh oh. That doesn't look good, they both turned to each other and gave me sincere straight faces. "What? Hello! I told you, why aren't you happy.? I mean he's hot and an ass but that's beside the point. It's not even a big deal we talked for five minutes."

Peyton finally said something "Haley, where have you been. Nathan Scott goes to our high school. He's like the most popular guy in our grade. He's captain of the basketball team and he's hooked up with like every girl in the school. Don't let his charming looks fool you."

"Yeah, I'm with goldilocks over there that boy is not for you. And how could you not know who he is?" Brooke exclaimed.

"Well see I told you it wasn't even a big deal. I'm not going to like ever see him again probably anyways. I mean I knew he was an ass when I met him, and besides I told you guys over and over, nothing even happened. Can we just drop the subject now." I said quietly. We then just sat down on Peyton's bed and started to paint our nails. "So, Brooke, what's going on with you and Lucas?" Peyton and I asked at the same time. We all laughed hysterically and Brooke went on about their so called 'relationship' and what was going on between them.

But my mind was somewhere else again. I kept replaying Nathan's words over and over again. 'I'll find out who you are, whether you want me to or not.' It gave me chills. He was not like anyone I had ever met, that was for sure. I could tell that there was something about Nathan Scott. Something that no one else could see but me. I should know more than anyone that people aren't always what they seem and that no one has the right to judge anyone else. So who was I to make an assumption about who he was and what he chooses to do in his free time? I have no right to not want to talk to him because people think he's an ass or whatever crap people think about him. All I know is that on Monday, when I go back to school, I might possibly see him again.

That is, if he finds me. But Nathan wouldn't really be looking for me, right?

Or would he?

--X--

Click that little purple button. For me, please!


End file.
